


superhero dreaming

by kalachuchi



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Dreams, Gen, Lotus Eater Machine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 23:03:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15851238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalachuchi/pseuds/kalachuchi
Summary: Donghyuck dreams a lot. Mark's there too, sometimes.





	superhero dreaming

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pyrophane](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pyrophane/gifts).



> dear ash: i didn't think i would actually write you haechan lotus eater dreaming but then my hand slipped and an hour later this existed [breakdances gently to superhero_lauv.mp3].
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: notes at the end if you're unfamiliar with the lotus eater machine trope!

When Donghyuck opens his eyes, Renjun is still dancing. The routine is different from the one they learned together, though, the one they were all practicing that afternoon. This one is smoother, the turns more fluid, though Renjun’s movements are more stilted, muscle memory in progress, a stop motion picture of gradual improvement. Rolling from his back onto his side, Donghyuck props his head on his elbow, watching more closely.

Donghyuck likes seeing Renjun dance. Renjun’s worked really hard. 

When it ends, Renjun pauses, breathing hard.

“A bit like that?” Renjun says, before adding. “Work through it with me more tomorrow?”  


The answer, when it arrives, is not from Donghyuck.

“ – Sure! You know I’m always here to help you guys.”

Donghyuck lies on his back again. It occurs to him, suddenly, that the couch he’s lying on usually sits in the studio, not the dance practice room. But Donghyuck doesn’t think about it too hard, head turned to watch Renjun run through the routine again anyway, the now twin silhouettes shadowing the choreography across the floor.

 

 

“Somewhere the sky’s always blue,” Jeno says, “that’s where I wanna go.”

He can’t be serious. Donghyuck hands over the picnic basket he was carrying to Jaemin, already armed with duffel bags slung over both shoulders. Jeno is perched on the hood of the car, hands resting palm up on his knees, eyes smiley. He’s totally serious about it.

Donghyuck marches up to Jeno, grabbing his cheeks and squeezing. “Why are we going on road trip when we can stay in Seoul–”

“I think it sounds fun,” Renjun adds mildly.

“–and book out the hotel with the _rooftop pool?_ ” Jeno laughs when Donghyuck releases him. Jeno shrugs, kicking his feet outwards in a V instead of side to side – Donghyuck hasn’t stepped back yet, after all. Donghyuck frowns. Jaemin leans in to poke the tip of Jeno’s nose before heading back into the dorms to grab more bags. Jeno scrunches his nose. 

“There’s pools everywhere,” Jeno begins.

Simultaneously, Donghyuck and Renjun look upwards, to the sky: Donghyuck pointedly, Renjun in a way that won’t quite conceal how he’s trying not to laugh.

“I just thought it’d be nice,” Jeno finishes, shrugging. “Staying somewhere we’ve never been before. Pool or not. So long as the sky’s still blue.”

And suddenly, Mark’s voice: “Bro, if you keep talking I’m gonna have to start recording – this is comeback material right here.”

“Wherever the sky is blue,” Renjun coos. Jeno’s eyes crescent again, amused and endlessly tolerant, impossible to play mad at for very long.

“So long as I have _you,_ ” Mark says, sing song.

Donghyuck almost forgot Mark was here, too. Whatever rights Mark earned by virtue of being the only licensed driver he lost by sliding immediately into the driver’s seat without helping pack. 

Jaemin returns to the car, armed this time with a pillow tucked under each arm. 

“Oh, thank you,” Renjun says, reaching for one.

Jeno says, “Isn’t that one mine?”

“I think Jaemin is a very caring friend,” Renjun says, louder this time.

Donghyuck blinks, realising he’s the only one left outside the car. Mark grins, _“Haechannie–”_ Donghyuck slides into the front seat, plugging his phone into the AUX chord. “The horn’s busted, don’t even try it.”

Mark stops jabbing his thumb at a button by the steering wheel.

Jeno says: “Let’s go.” 

Mark corrects: “Let’s _get_ it.”

Jaemin has positioned a pillow between his head and the window, already attempting sleep, which seems ill-advised in many ways. Donghyuck turns up the volume, pulling up the playlist he made from every song the hyungs asked him – half jokingly, half despairingly – to stop blasting at full volume in the night.

“Where the sky is always blue,” Renjun hums.

Jeno turns to the window, face hidden against his arm. His ears are red.

To nobody in particular, Jeno mumbles, “…So long as I have you.”

Up above, the sky is cloudless, seemingly endless. The sky is always blue, but it’s nice, watching it drift by from the passenger’s seat, Seoul’s skyline rolling past.

Mark keeps driving.

 

 

Mark treated Jaemin to ice cream once, just because. Donghyuck had invited himself along when he spotted them heading away from the company and missed the purpose of the treat.

“Just like I missed my invite,” Donghyuck muses, overly theatrical. He waggles his phone at Jaemin and widens his eyes, deliberately comical. “But I can forgive you! ‘Cause you’re treating me too, right?”

Jaemin says, “Uh.” 

Mark says, “Go for it, dude,” so Jaemin does, Mark’s wallet in hand.

There is zero entertainment ordering something ridiculously expensive when it’s clear Mark doesn’t mind. There is also the fact where Jaemin ordered them all a frighteningly large sundae to share and all Mark did was roll his eyes and laugh, even when Donghyuck only grabbed two spoons.

“Sharing is caring,” Mark says, spoon still in mouth.

“That’s my spoon,” Donghyuck points out.

Jaemin glances at the second spoon, currently in his possession. “How do you know?”

“Because you’re holding that one,” Donghyuck patiently explains. “And I saw you lick the spoon.”

“I can lick this spoon too?” Mark waves the spoon around. Donghyuck snatches it before flyaway drops of syrup splatter everywhere.

Donghyuck spoons the cherry at the top into his mouth, holding it between his teeth and V-signing at Mark and Jaemin before chewing. His teeth, peering into the concave reflection of the spoon after, are painted maraschino red.

“Look,” Donghyuck says, “it’s me.”

“Mirrors usually do that,” Jaemin agrees. Donghyuck points the spoon at Jaemin and waves it around. “Correct. So this is my spoon.”

Mark reaches across the table for a serviette, dabbing at ice cream drips on the table. Oops.

“I don’t get you,” he says. It doesn’t sound like a question when Mark says it, but it doesn’t sound like a bad thing, either. “ _I_ don’t get _you_ ,” Donghyuck parrots back, just to be contrary, though he means it entirely.

Jaemin’s phone beeps, a text alert.

“Ooh?” Mark hones in on the phone. Jaemin doesn’t look up when he says, “It’s Renjun, don’t be weird.”

Ignoring Jaemin, Mark continues, “So Nana’s got plans, then. Guess it’s just you and me after all, hey–”

Donghyuck scoops out another spoonful of ice cream.

 

 

Next time, when Mark nudges him during a Music Bank encore, playful, Donghyuck doesn’t nudge back. Not hard, anyway. He does glance back at Mark, though, Mark smiling faintly, expression perfectly practiced, camera-tested.

Donghyuck mimics it, or tries to, but there isn’t any mirror now – concave, convex or otherwise – for Donghyuck to look into, to confirm his own expression, so he supposes whatever he feels right now must be good enough, has to be.

**Author's Note:**

> **Lotus eater machine:** "A character is knocked out, or goes to sleep, and wakes up in their own personal paradise. Whatever they wanted most all their life is finally theirs...Sometimes the lotus-eater has no idea it's all fake. Sometimes they do know but don't care. In order to escape, the dreamer has to figure out he's dreaming, if that isn't already known to him. Then, he has to break the masquerade and give up their life's dream."


End file.
